Can it really be six years?

Almost a year ago Caleb asked Cydney if she would be in Utah for his birthday. It just so happened that Ken's break allowed for that. I can hardly believe how fast he is growing up.

Dave and the kids are having fun at the friend birthday party.
Tanner love the Mickey Mouse theme.

Cydney had been working hard to do a Boutique while she was in Utah. She makes some of the cutest bows and head bands I have seen around. The little tutu's were adorable. It was fun to see my old booth in use again.

It took all of us quite awhile to set up and hang all of her stuff. She is so talented.

While they were there we had a baby shower for Jessica and the new little girl coming into the family. While we were watching her open gifts Spencer came up and snuggled with me. It was so sweet. I love that we will still come up and snuggle up on my lap and ask for stories.

She got some really cute things even though it was mostly our immediate family. We are so excited for them to be having a little girl.

The tradition for the blessing outfit continues.

Caleb had a great time with the tissue paper on the side, Spencer I think was a little confused!

We packed so much into the time that Cyd, Ken, and Nora were there I think we were all worn out!

The terrible, horrible, bad, good, day

A dear friend of mine lost her husband after a battle with cancer. It hit me pretty hard because it was pretty close, and close in age. On this day I helped prepare the meal for the luncheon after the funeral. I started early so that they turkey would be done and I could get several batches of funeral potatoes in the oven and make it to the funeral.

While I was working on this I realized I was short on sour cream and had to run to the store to finish up the potatoes. When I came into the house I expected to smell the turkey---no smell. I had turned the wrong oven on. Panic set in and I turned the convection oven on to rush to get it done. The potatoes were taking longer than I had anticipated and I wasn't ready at the time the funeral was supposed to start.

Since I obviously wasn't going to make it to the funeral I opted to finish the meal and to work on the choke load of ironing I was waiting to do. Some of it was Jessica's and I was trying to help her since she was feeling so crumby with her pregnancy. What I hadn't realized was how behind I was on my own laundry so it was a little overwhelming as I got started. Just a few minutes into the process I burned my hand quite badly. It seemed that no matter what I tried to do for others I couldn't seem to get any of it right.

I was very nervous about the turkey not being done in time, as the hour to have it there approached I nervously looked at the bird and checked the internal temperature. It was perfect. Thank goodness. I snuck the food into the kitchen at the church because I looked like a

wreck.

After several hours of ironing and the stress of the morning I was relieved to have things done. I managed to make potatoes for Rebecca and I and some to send to Jessica when I dropped the clothing off to Dave to take home.
A day I was trying to do a lot for a lot of people turned from a nightmare into a pretty good day after all. Once I saw past the stress I saw the success.

St. Spencer

The last couple of years we have celebrated this guys birthday and the holiday at Pirate Island Pizza. With his love of pirates it is the best place to go and the food isn't too bad. Jessica has gone all out the last couple of years to get "gussied" up so we decided to join in this year as well. It was fun to see every one's response as they saw us.

We were all in the spirit of the Leprechaun this evening. And none of us can resist getting this little guy to laugh it comes so easy, this time it was Rebecca's turn.

He mad a haul with all of the tickets that were won playing games as a family. The difficult thing was choosing a prize with them, not super quality and kind of pricey for what you get but he had fun.

What a cutie!

Look what I won mom!

So much fun to watch these guys at the "range" and they enjoy the time with each other.

Pretty serious stuff.

Love that face!

Just a bunch of fun for everyone, a great way to celebrate two things at once, arrrgh!

Ice Castles

In Midway last winter there was a fun thing to go and visit. We picked Grandma Stevenson up and went to explore these ice castles that a guy had patiently formed through the season. We got there just at dusk and were there long enough for the lights to work their magic. Despite the cold temperatures it was a lot of fun to go and explore.

These guys didn't stay on this frozen bench very long but it was a cute picture and they were patient with me.

Time to go for some hot chocolate!

Beauty

One weekend on Oahu Kerry and I went to the Waimea Botanical Garden and hiked up to the falls, it was so beautiful up there. As we walked through we couldn't help but think about Caleb and his love of the Hibiscus flower here and how many different varieties there were that day.

When we entered the garden and started to walk around I was in awe of this banyan tree and the sun shining through the massive branches. The light streaming through simply took my breath away. Since I haven't had my nice camera for very long I didn't do a very good job of catching the scene. But it was so beautiful.
I must have had a good idea because a photographer stopped and put his tripod up and took many pictures of the same thing.

I would love to explore more parts of the Island like this one!

Catch up!!! Memories of 2010

As I have contemplated trying to catch up on this I have gone through pictures from last year and have been filled with fun memories and experiences. I think we got so carried away in our Pirate adventures that I didn't think I could match or do clever posts. As a result I let some thoughts get away from me. I have so enjoyed the recollections that I am going to do a summary for my own memory.

I was able to make a few trips to Kansas this past year, I am determined that Nora is going to know me... I never knew either of my Grandmother's and was lucky to know both of Kerry's. I had the opportunity to spend quite a bit of time with his Grandma Stevenson when we were first married and she became the Grandmother that I never knew, I really loved her. At any rate I want my Grand kids to know me well and to know how much I adore them. That is a little difficult having Nora so far away.

Rebecca and I took a weekend around Cyd's birthday and played with Nora as much as we could.

It was great to spend time with them.

Ken practiced his new love of acupuncture on Rebecca and I while we were there. The hysterical thing was she was making such a fuss about the needles that she didn't even feel it when he placed it.

Of course he practiced just a little while we were there, he was trying to help her with a headache, it worked.

She was such a happy go lucky little thing while we were there. We could not have enough time with her.

While we were there she started to take her first steps, of course we encouraged her the entire time.

Nora was telling her it was time to get up and play with her.

Here are those steps, just look at the concentration on her face.
The time we had there was way too fast and before we knew it it was time to head back to Utah.

Kerry has given me roses for our anniversary that match the number of years we have been married. I was in Honolulu with him for our anniversary and so there were no flowers this time. When I got home from Kansas were waiting on the counter for me, a late anniversary and Valentines since we were in Kansas then.